Date: 3/26/26 4:32 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - to 3/26 - Redhead, Laughing Gull, W. Snipe, N.R.-w. Swallow, Gr. Egret, L. Waterthrush, Rusty BB, etc.
N.Y. County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Governors, Randalls, and Roosevelt Islands, and the adjacent waters and skies above -
Into Thursday, March 26th -
Many birds capable of song have been giving some and the singing is sure to increase with each day as spring rolls on. Some of those birds with no true songs also are vocalizing at times, according to their habits and abilities.
A drake Redhead appeared and was photographed, with at least 3 observers, off Inwood Hill Park at the northern end of Manhattan on Wed. afternoon. This duck species is generally scarce in the county in the modern era, with occasional appearances in most recent decades.
Louisiana Waterthrush arrived in the county at least by Wed, March 25, and was in Central Park as well by Thursday. The species had made initial appearances in N.Y. City at least by March 24th. Slightly earlier than the main arrivals of that species, but not unprecedented for dates.
By Monday, March 23, a slightly-early arrival of at least 2 N. Rough-winged Swallows at Central Park were added to the prior arrivals of Tree Swallows, for the year in this county. Minimal Great Egret arrivals so far, but there is still a bit of March remaining - first reports came by Sunday and some more for Monday, and slightly more by Tuesday including several at Central Park. Ospreys also came in with a bit more urgency, by the weekend. Almost any patch of habitat may hold E. Phoebe by now, as larger arrivals pick up the pace. Hermit Thrush arrivals began to appear, these are new to the year, not just the relatively few that lingered all thru the roughest parts of the winter, with some few dozen or more scattered thru parks in Manhattan and including newly arrived birds at Central Park. More Yellow-shafted Flickers have been coming in, sometimes noticed in discrete areas of sites within the county.
Also noted at Central Park from Sunday into Monday were multiple Pine Warblers at various sectors of that park. The American Wigeon continuing at The Pool in that park has been seen solely by independent observers and passersby or those participating in no-for-profit walks since that species first showed in that park this year. Hundreds of observers and photographers had seen the drake wigeon even prior to this past weekend. A Ring-nacked Duck recently continuing at the C.P. reservoir had been seen for weeks by large numbers of observers. On Monday for a time, as many as 9 Red-breasted Mergansers showed at the C.P. reservoir but again, that species is occurring in county waters in numbers up to 15-20 times greater as is typical of the season. Elsewhere in the county some Long-tailed Ducks and Common Goldeneyes were still seen to the end of last week or into the new week, and Lesser and Greater Scaup each showed as well, the latter more so thru this week. The most recent N. Pintail may have been one at Inwood Hill Park in n. Manhattan. Brant are ongoing in expected locations, as is expected thru at least mid-spring here.
The ongoing Trumpeter Swan with its Mute Swan friend on the East River have continued to be reported from, or on, N.Y. County waters at times, but far more observers were giving Kings County - Brooklyn, NYC - as the location for sightings of the rarer swan with its commoner cousin. Other Mute Swans may be seen aside from the individual partnering with the Trumpeter Swan.
Laughing Gull and Wilsons Snipe were among sightings from Governors Island last Sunday, with a bit of increase for Killdeer seen there as well. Wilsons Snipe was also present on Randalls Island from Sunday and Monday. American Woodcock were still being seen, with more than one individual turning up at a typical site for many observers to see the species in Manhattan, at Bryant Park. Others were still turning up elsewhere. Double-crested Cormorants we’re slowly increasing, and we continue to have Black-crowned Night Herons in a number of locations, including multiples staying around Central Park.
Savannah Sparrows showed a bit of increase in multiple areas of the county, as did Swamp Sparrow. Since spring officially started we have no confirmed sightings of American Tree Sparrow - and Chipping Sparrow will be the far-more-likely as we soon get in to April. Red Fox Sparrow were still around and can be heard singing well in many locations where they are gathered.
Pine Warblers had started to show in a number of county locations including multiple parks of northern Manhattan, but still in relatively modest numbers overall - this species had a nice little uptick by Wednesday, however. Myrtle-form Yellow-rumped Warblers are in even smaller supply, and those being found now are likely regionally-overwintered. Rusty Blackbirds continued to be seen at multiple locations in Central Park, and a bit less-regularly elsewhere. Such species as Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, and Red-breasted Nuthatch were ongoing in modest numbers around the county.
A more comprehensive list of species seen around the county will be given in a few days after further investigations and sightings.
Various trees and shrubs as well as mainly-planted or cultivated herbaceous plants are starting to have buds and some are blooming. Willows are greening up by the day, and red maples have color, as do a few other types of trees showing flower or bud colors.
Good birding, and thanks to many independent observers and photographers and to the many affiliated with or guiding walks for not-for-profit organizations, including the NYC Bird Alliance, the American Museum of Natural History, the Linnaean Society of New York and additional non-profit organizations and institutions. Reports and alerts were offered via the Discord birding app, and via eBird with the Macaulay Library for media, and thru good old word of mouth.
